The Invisible Struggles of Those With Hidden Conditions on Public Transport

For 34-year-old university administrative employee Vivien Shiw, getting off a train at the next stop just to rest on a bench on the platform is routine.

- Shermaine Ang

Though she looks young and healthy, she lives with autoimmune diseases Sjogren's and vasculitis, as well as arthritis, which make standing for long periods painful. When the pain in her legs worsens, she sometimes squats in the MRT train.

Another passenger like her, Ms Ratnah Hafizah, has multiple sclerosis, which is also an autoimmune disease. She used to take Grab rides to pick up her son from kindergarten, even though his preschool was only one bus stop away from her home.

Ms Ratnah, who is 33 and self-employed in branding and content writing, said carrying a May I Have a Seat Please card, which she ties to her bag, has since given her the confidence to take a priority seat on buses without the fear of being judged by others.

The card was first piloted as a sticker by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in 2019 to help passengers be aware of those with hidden or invisible medical conditions who need a seat during public commutes.

It is part of the Helping Hand scheme, an initiative by the Caring SG Commuters Committee—comprising several ministries, agencies and public transport operators—to foster a more inclusive public transport system.

The May I Have a Seat Please initiative includes a lanyard and card for passengers with long-term conditions, while the sticker version is meant for people with short-term medical conditions.

The card was created for those with hidden conditions such as chronic pain or fatigue, dizziness, heart disease and arthritis.

It is also for commuters recovering from a stroke, those with physical injuries, ongoing cancer treatment or prosthetic limbs, and early-stage expectant mothers.

As at May, LTA said it has distributed about 10,600 stickers for short-term conditions and 20,400 cards for long-term conditions.